Grass fire behaviour and flame

This ongoing study is focused on measurement of rate of spread,
flame residence time and vertical flame temperature variation during
grass fires. Flame temperature measurements and rate of spread
observations have been made on prescribed burns for grassland
restoration carried out by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources in
cooperation with local community groups throughout southern and central
Ontario. Measurements have also been carried out on large prescribed
fires south of Sudbury at Burwash (where range is being burned to
encourage the growth of browse for elk). In 1997 flame temperature and
residence time observations were made on savanna fires in Kenya as part
of the AFARI project.

This work has shown that flame residence times in grass fuels are on
the order of about 15 seconds and maximum temperatures (observed at the
base of the flame) are around 800 to 1000 °C.

Flame front after passing through a 3 m high
thermocouple tower at the Ojibway prairie grass burn
(Windsor) 2001.

Flame front after passing through a temperature
measurement array mounted on a triangular tower
during the Matchedash burn (2000)